Setting up remote steering and throttle controls on a new modern boat.

[rigi36]

Hi,

We currently have a Honda 1997(?) manual start, manual tilt BF15A 15hp outboard as shown below...



We are in the process of buying a new boat which comes with the new style cable steering (with the long metal pole at the end of cable) and are not sure how to link this up with the above outboard.

Our old boat was set up with remote steering but used the very old fashoined washing line method where you have two cable from the steering wheel which pull the engine to one side of another. We cannot see how to link the new cable steering with the outboard as this is not what it was designed for. If it doesnt have a tilt tube is there a special bracket we can get to convert?

We are also looking to purchase a new Honda side control without electronics as our outboard is not electric start. Can you reccommend a good side control box that is compatable with this outboard. Are all connections from remote throttles to the outboard the same?

Many thanks,
Max

[9D280]

If you donlt have the big hole through the middle of the tilt tube, you can get transom mount brackets for the end of the tube. (http://www.ultraflexgroup.it/eng/ult..._di_guida.html - scroll down, there's a couple of sketches to show it in action)

As for remotes, I think I'm safe in saying you could probably use anyone's mechanical bits, as a lot of them are basically re -boxed versions of the same thing - the mechanism inside is identical) You may need to mess around to get the deadman connected at the remote location tho'. The two 'flexes (Tele & Ultra) will do a "manual only" box, which will have adjustments as they can also be used for inboards etc.

The easy way of solving the deadman problem is to panel mout one by the wheel.

[rigi36]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

This is what we had on our old boat.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Morse%2Fultraf...03138001r26338

Will the sockets on the outboard work with something like this?

http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/Ac...0-ZV5-020.html

Thanks again,
Max

[9D280]

I've also amusingly heard it called the "operator presence control switch".

It's the red coily lanyard that you need to clip into a switch on the engine that stops it when it's pulled out. It stops the engine when pulled off, and the other end should be attatched to you so the boat doesn't come back & mince you if you fall out.

I have a small dory that I sit so close to the engine you can attatch the lanyard to the bacjk strap of the lifejacket from the engine switch and still steer from the wheel...

[rigi36]

Thanks.

How does the control box kill switch connect back to the engine? Is there a separate cable which plugs into the engine?

Will the second control box above work with my engine?

Thanks.

[9D280]

Yeah, usually the electric cables will go through the same enormous grommet as the throttle & gear cables. I'm now in guess mode, as I've never seen one of these close up, but there will be two wires going to your deadman switch on the front of the engine. Somewhere between the switch & the box of electrical tricks there will be a plug. I suspect that the Official Honda wiring will basically unplug (& render useless) the switch on the engine, and put the "remote switch" wire in it's place.

No idea if the Honda remote throttle has the wiring built in. Just looked at the catalouge - it shows a switch on the pic of the remote box for your engine, but not the wiring! (but then that wouldnlt look "neat" in a catalougue).

[rigi36]

I suspect the control box comes with a decent length of deadman's switch cable to do this.

Will the honda shift and gear cables for the new remote control boxes be the same as the cables used here?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Morse%2Fultraf...03138001r26338

Our old control box was that one and i'm wondering if we get a new honda control box will it still plug in and work with the engine?

[9D280]

I suspect if that was your old one & you still have it, a simple "cable end kit" might be enough. That control will use a generic cable that you fit "end kits" to to convert them for Honda, Suz, etc. Granted, you'll probably need to make your own remote deadman.

I also notioced on the Honda Remotes leaflet you may need to buy a kit with the engine end cable anchors & stuff in.
http://ww1.honda.co.uk/brochure/downloadMarine.html
Page 7 of the PDF - it looks like the cable ends might be included.

[rigi36]

The page titled 'Conversion Kit'?

[9D280]

[rigi36]

Surely we don't need all of that. The engine was working with remote controls before but they weren't connected to a honda control box.

It was one like in the ebay listing above.

If the control box is made by honda, surely it should work with their older outboards?

As we don't have electric start, I can just leave that cable from the key switch inside the console and not use it.

[9D280]

This makes more sense......

I assumed you had a "full manual, never been converted" engine, so no, you won't need that lot if it's been run remote already.

The plus side if you have all the key switch stuff in the box is that you'll probably have a deadman switch on there too! You can just ignore all the keyswitch stuff in the remotes - there will likely be nowhere to plug it in under the hood anyway, although you may find that there wil lbe a 7-ish pin socket with 2 wires (the deadman) lurking under there somewhere.

[rigi36]

Thank you. I was just checking to see if that Honda Control box with the key start and deadman's on would still connect up with the slightly older model of outboard so I am able to use the fast idle and throttle controls.

I shall just leave the key switch cable somewhere inside the console as I won't be needing them as you say, the outboard won't have anywhere to plug them in.

Where the manual controls (stuff needed for fast idle and throttle) connect to the inside of the engine is it relitively simple to work out where they go and is there only one standard type of plug for each engine manufacturer?

Also, are the cables running from the control box to the engine electrical or are the actual manual pieces that move? i.e. a real cable being pulled when the throttle is engaged?

Thanks. You're a great help.

[rigi36]

In fact this is the exact engine we have.



He has cable steering and the new honda control box I assume its possible. Just not sure how to link up the throttle cables inside the engine and the deadman's inside the engine.

[9D280]

Oh good. I got waylayed mid answer & the firewall killed my reply I now donlt need to re-type as much!

Jumping back to your original mail......

Originally Posted by maxhar

Thank you. I was just checking to see if that Honda Control box with the key start and deadman's on would still connect up with the slightly older model of outboard so I am able to use the fast idle and throttle controls.

I shall just leave the key switch cable somewhere inside the console as I won't be needing them as you say, the outboard won't have anywhere to plug them in.

OK, Assuming you are using the Morse / Teleflex box, it will more than likely have their "generic" throttle / gear cables. I'm not sure if Honda share theirs with anyone else, or what engine was on the enfd of yourcables before, but if it doesn't fit, you will need to find a local Teleflex / morse supplier & get the "cable end kit" which basically consists of a couple of plastic screw - on things that clip / screw / etc to the levers in the engine and any other spring clips used to hold them in place.

If you;re using the honda box there's a High chance it will fit - post if you do and it doesn't.....

As for electrics, I bet the honda plug is a standard connector that will carry a minimum of the deadman, but wonlt have the pins o nthe engine side of the connection to feed the tacho, starter, choke etc. If you are using the Tel-Mor box with no electrics at all, post back, as I have no idea how good your electrical capabilities are, so don't want to bore you to tears or baffle you. You will, as said before, need a deadman for your own peace of mind if nothing else.

Originally Posted by maxhar

Where the manual controls (stuff needed for fast idle and throttle) connect to the inside of the engine is it relitively simple to work out where they go and is there only one standard type of plug for each engine manufacturer?

For a given age of engine & controls, should be standard-ish. I say "ish" because some manufacturers fdo deals with others which result in certian sizes of engine being a resprayed something else. (Johnson - Suzuki & EMErc - Mariner being two that jumps to mind).

Having said that, the throttle / gear shift cables are mechanical and thankfully they were standardised years ago. As said above, the end fittinga rea baout the only thing that changes. Where they go should be reasonably easy. start at the place where they go throu' the case. follow an imaginary straight line until you find a lever with a pin, hole or weird feature that your "end connectors" fit. (most are just a simple pin & eye) Easiest way to test which way round is move the gearshift & throttle on the engine & see what moves.

For the cabnles, move the lever o nthe remotes. Start in Neutral, move it into fwd & reverse. One of the cables will move in and out. That's your gears. if you continue to push the lever (i.e open the throttle) the gear cable should stay put and the other one move in or out.

Beware the Tele-Morse boxes are "generic fit everything" controls. you may nee dto move the cable to the other lever in the box if it pulls instead of pushes or vice versa. Once again, post if it don't add up.

[QUOTE=maxhar;323957]
Also, are the cables running from the control box to the engine electrical or are the actual manual pieces that move? i.e. a real cable being pulled when the throttle is engaged?

Throttle & gear are mechanical, everything else is wiring. (ha,unless you have a nice shiny new Huge Hp "fly by wire" Merc where it;s all electrical!)

Hope this helps......

[rigi36]

So am I right in thinking that the only electrical cable from the remote controls to the outboard I am going to have to plug in is the deadman's?

Everything else is mechanical and plugs into its own place on the inside of the cover and if the honda control cables don't fit I can buy ultraflex plugs to go on the end of the honda cables?

Right so far?

Thanks so much for your help .

[9D280]

Aye, that's a fair summary!


So have I got the wrong end of the stick here? I thought you had the Teleflex / Morse remotes on the bioat, and it used to have (overkill) Honda ones fitted before you bought the engine?

But if you got honda cables (regardless of the Remote box) they are hiiiiighly likely going to clip straight in.

And yes, a deadman's all you need if you're not within a lanyard's length of the engine.

[rigi36]

Our old boat used to have the ultraflex cables and control box and they used to go straight into the Honda outboard no problem.

Our new boat comes without any control box and we are keeping the existing engine. To get round this we are going to buy a new Honda control box with the deadmans switch included. The reason for this is that we wanted to have the neutral lock as this is allways a good thing to have on a safety boat.

The problem I have is, I don't know wether the cables that come with the Honda control box we are going to buy will be able to plug straight into the engine or not.

I'm assuming they will be able to as they are Honda and why would Honda make a new control box which wasn't compatible with their older outboards.

My reason for doubting this is that the cables from the old ultraflex control box were a pair, one for shift and one for throttle.

As far as I can see in the pictures for the new honda control boxes, there is only one cable.

Is this more clear?

Thanks.

[9D280]

Ok, now it all makes sense.

I don't know of any engine that has a single mechanical cable. Assuming you are loking at a pic in their brochure, is there a chance that the throttle, gear & deadman are all in a flexi conduit or hose to make it super neat? Remember also that the marketing bods will want to make it looka s neat as poss for the pic.

Assuming honda haven't had a major cross - range design change between your engine being built & now, I suspect it will be "plug'n'play". The cat I looked at o nthe web seemed to imply it would fit al 4- stroke 15s The dealer should be able to confirm compatibility before you buy.


Neutral lock is another thing entirely. On a pull start machine, the starter is mechanically locked with the gear lever so you can't pull it. The anti start in gear swich in the remotes is an electrical version of the same thing simply to prevent the starter motor geting any electrical juice when you turn the key in gear. if you're buying the basic control box it probably won't even be fitted.

[rigi36]

So are you saying the neutral lock (where you lift the thing under the throttle lever) won't work?